


For You, I Pick the Thorns from Roses

by DannyDevitoWroteHarryPotter



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bratty Xion, Character Development, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Geonhak is a Sweetheart, Hwanwoong is Tired, Jealousy, Keonhee is Overwhelmed, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Protective Siblings, Romance, Seoho is a Sweetheart, Someone collect Youngjo, Son Dongju is Whipped, Typical Alpha Bullshit, Xion is a Pretty Boy™, courting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:02:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28932180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DannyDevitoWroteHarryPotter/pseuds/DannyDevitoWroteHarryPotter
Summary: Prince Keonhee, firstborn of the royal Lee family, is unable to ascend to the throne after presenting as a beta on his 20th birthday.2 years later, his peaceful life as a simple prince is disrupted when Prince Xion of Monoceros--a newly presented alpha and whom Keonhee hasn't seen since he was 13--arrives to the kingdom of Corvus to ask for Keonhee's hand in marriage._____________“You’ll have to get used to saying it again, you realize. You can’t keep calling me Your Highness when we’re married.”The beta’s eyes snap open.“Pardon me?” Keonhee questions, bewildered at the younger's audacity.Xion doesn’t even blink at Keonhee’s incredulous expression. That infuriating look of neutrality is back on his face.“As my husband-to-be I wish for you to be comfortable with me,” the prince states shamelessly. “That cannot be achieved if we aren’t on a first-name basis. Now, call me Xion.”
Relationships: Lee Keonhee/Son Dongju | Xion, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	For You, I Pick the Thorns from Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimers:
> 
> I use Xion instead of Dongju, but everyone else has their real name. I just rlllly like his stage name.
> 
> Keonhee, Seoho, Geonhak, and Youngjo are all the same age. It's just easier that way.
> 
> Sungjin is here for reasons. thas my BABE 💛

Keonhee is aware that his mouth is opened slightly in a look that was surely unbecoming of a prince, but any worry for propriety escapes him as he stares down at the small party of Monocerian diplomats collected on the throne room floor.

He can hear whispering break out amongst the watchful court. Keonhee briefly cuts his eyes across the room, noting the different expressions on the nobles’ faces.

Intrigue.

Shock.

Confusion.

He turns back to the group below them, gripping the sides of his throne a little as he stares at one man in particular.

“Come again?” he hears the Queen of Corvus question. Keonhee knows she doesn’t actually need the clarification.

His sister is just pissed.

Prince Xion remains unperturbed by the chatter in the room and the cold look in the Queen’s eyes. Unbothered, almost.

“I, Prince Xion of the Son family, second prince of the kingdom of Monoceros, do humbly ask the kingdom of Corvus for the honor of marrying its first prince,” Prince Xion proclaims, bowing his head slightly.

Keonhee feels faint.

______________

"Kunnie!" a voice squeals behind him.

10-year-old Keonhee turns to look over his shoulder, his eyes widening as the breath is knocked out of him when a small blur barrels into his side.

"Xion!" Keonhee admonishes, staring down at the 8-year-old prince of Monoceros, who was clutching Keonhee's robes with a blinding gummy smile. "You have to be more careful!"

"I'm sorry, Kunnie," Xion says, not sounding sorry in the slightest. The younger presses his cheek to Keonhee's torso, a giggle bursting from his lips. "I'm just so happy to see you!"

Keonhee pats the other's hair gently. "I am too, Xion. But you have to let go now. I can't be late to practice."

Xion's lips lift into a pout. 

"But I wanted to play," he whines, gripping onto Keonhee more tightly.

"We can always play tomorrow," he assures the boy.

The young royal huffs petulantly. "That's too far away!"

"Keonhee?" A voice calls out. Keonhee looks up and sees that Seoho is standing a little ways away, looking around the courtyard with his eyebrows pinched in concentration. When the other finally spots them a relieved grin breaks out onto his face.

He jogs over quickly. Xion's arms wrap around Keonhee's waist.

"Oh thank goodness," the other prince breathes out, resting his hands on his knees. "I thought I'd never find you. Practice already started, Keonhee, you've gotta hurry. Youngjo's being all mean because no one’s bested him yet, so you've gotta beat him!"

Keonhee makes a confused noise.

"Why do _I_ have to beat him?"

"'Cuz you're the best sword fighter we have!" Seoho exclaims passionately.

Keonhee feels himself flush at the compliment.

"I suppose," he says, smiling at the other. He turns back to Xion, frowning a little when he sees that the younger is glaring up at Seoho.

"Xion?" 

The young prince's attention snaps immediately back to Keonhee.

"I have to go now," Keonhee tells him gently. Xion's eyes narrow, and the older prince tries not to coo at the sight. The younger one always got upset with Keonhee when he treated him like he was, well, younger.

"I haven't seen you in so long, though!" the other puffs out. "Don't you want to spend time with me?"

Keonhee smiles. He crouches down onto his haunches and looks up at the younger, taking his chubby fists into his hands. 

"I do," he assures. "Truly. But I need to train, you see? How will I be a good king if I can't protect my kingdom? If I can't protect you?" 

Keonhee tickles Xion beneath his chin, making the younger laugh.

He holds out his pinkie, grinning when Xion curls his own around it.

"We'll play tomorrow. I promise."

The younger seems placated now, so Keonhee rises to his feet. 

He turns to leave, but a small tug on his sleeve stops him. He looks down at Xion. The younger looks absolutely determined.

"You don't need to protect me, Kunnie!" He declares, resolution in his big eyes. " _I'll_ be the one who protects you!"

Keonhee blinks, dumbfounded by the bold statement. He hears Seoho giggle beside them.

He raises a hand and ruffles Xion’s hair, smiling warmly at the boy.

"I'm glad."

He steps away and turns to Seoho. The other prince smiles down at Xion before grabbing Keonhee's arm.

"Let's go!" he shouts. He drags Keonhee away, chattering animatedly about their plan of attack with wild gesticulations. Keonhee looks over his shoulder and waves one last time at the young prince.

Xion gives a small wave back, his eyes sad.

_______________

"The nerve of that prince," Hyeonhee simmers out, hands clasped on her desk and an irritated crease on her brow. “Arriving here, on the day before Keonhee’s birthday. And to demand something of such significance!”

“Demand is too strong a word, daughter,” Keonhee’s mother chimes. She takes a sip from her teacup. “The young man was perfectly respectable. If a little bold.”

The royal family was currently sat in the Queen’s study, discussing the events that had taken place not even an hour ago. Hyeonhee had gathered her most trusted advisors and court officials to join them. His sister felt it unnecessary, assured of her own opinion of how to proceed, but their mother had insisted. 

“There are certainly no obvious consequences to accepting the proposal,” Moonbyul observes, her back to them as she gazed out the giant french windows. 

Yonghoon nods. “A marriage of this nature would be extremely beneficial. With the Crown Prince of Monoceros’ engagement to Princess Daeun, a union between Prince Keonhee and Prince Xion would guarantee us a strong ally in not only Monoceros, but in Vira as well.”

“Indeed,” Sungjin agrees. “Both are thriving agricultural powers. It’d be an easy cure to the food shortages we’ve been experiencing in the eastern provinces.”

“All very good points,” the former queen cuts in, staring pointedly at the 3 officials from her seat by the fireplace. “However, we must remember that the choice to accept this union falls solely on my son.”

“Not rejecting right away was simply a formality, mother,” Hyeonhee dismisses, waving a hand in the air. “I very much doubt Keonhee would want to--”

“Actually,” Keonhee interrupts, the room’s attention now shifted solely onto him. He ignores his sister’s burning gaze. “I’d like to give it some thought.”

The court officials in the room blink in surprise. Hyeonhee’s expression does not change, but her soothing scent of honey rottens slightly at Keonhee’s words.

“And why would you do that?” she questions coolly.

“Hyeonhee…” their mother chides, giving the Queen of Corvus the look she always did when she thought her children were being unreasonable. It’s a good thing Keonhee was very much used to his sister’s protective nature.

“He traveled all the way here to ask for my hand personally,” he defends. “That tells me he’s serious about this. I’d like to at least spend a little time with him before making a decision.”

“ _Spend a little time with him?_ ” Hyeonhee repeats, a scandalized look now cracking her composure. The court officials turn their eyes away from the scene, knowing better than to openly stare at a miffed alpha.

Keonhee held no such fears.

“Yes,” Keonhee says, staring unwaveringly into his sister’s displeased eyes. “It’s the least I can do.”

Hyeonhee opens her mouth, no doubt to inform Keonhee of all the reasons why that would be the _most_ he could do, when a knock from the study room door interrupts her. 

“Enter,” she bites out, and a terrified-looking servant steps into the room. He bows lowly.

“What is it?”

“Y-your Majesty, His Highness Prince Xion sent me to give you his utmost thanks for the rooms,” the servant stutters. He looks close to passing out. “He is most appreciative.”

Hyeonhee scoffs a little. “Trying to butter me up, is he?”

“Tell him that he is most welcome,” Keonhee’s mother replies, not even batting an eye at her daughter’s ill-mannered behavior. Hyeonhee was a very loved queen, and the staff was already accustomed to her temper.

When the servant doesn’t move Keonhee’s mother raises an eyebrow.

“Is there something else?” she questions.

“Ah, yes Your Highness, there is.” The servant clears his throat. “The boats for the firework display are ready. Your Majesty informed the firemasters that she would like to check everything personally when they were complete.”

“I recall,” Hyeonhee says. She nods her head once. “Very well. You are excused.”

The servant bows before disappearing back into the hall, and Hyeonhee turns again to Keonhee. 

“We will discuss this later,” she tells him, rising from her seat. 

She walks to the door and leaves the room, the court officials following close behind. A hand touches Keonhee lightly on the shoulder and he looks up to see Moonbyul smiling down at him. He smiles back at the older beta. She gives one last comforting squeeze before leaving the room as well.

Keonhee sags into his chair when the door closes.

“That girl...” his mother shakes her head, taking another sip of her tea.

Hyeonhee had always been rather protective of Keonhee. It was funny to a lot of people, seeing a younger sibling defend an older one so fiercely from the world. It got much worse when she’d presented as an alpha, and it didn’t help much that Keonhee was a beta. 

_‘They’ll try to overpower you,’_ she’d always say. _‘Alphas and Omegas are much too emotional. Do not let them take advantage of you.’_

“She’s just concerned for me,” Keonhee tells his mother, chuckling when she rolls her eyes.

“She’s dramatic is what she is. Definitely a trait from your father.”

“Are you so certain about that?” Keonhee teases, rising from his chair and walking towards his mother. He wraps an arm around her shoulder and lays his cheek on her head. The scent of brown sugar that reaches his nose is a familiar one. “I think she gets it from you.”

“Oh hush,” she snips, raising her chin slightly, and the sight reminds him so much of Hyeonhee that he can’t help letting out a bright laugh. 

His mother places her teacup down and turns to him, grabbing his hand between her frail ones.

“Keonhee,” she begins, and Keonhee shakes off his mirth to give her his full attention. “You need to think about this. I will support your decision, whatever it may be, but know that if you accept Prince Xion’s courtship you must be serious about it. Your actions do not represent just yourself.” 

“I understand,” Keonhee assures her, and he really does. He’s lived by that knowledge all his life.

“Good,” his mother smiles. She stands up from the lounge and raises a hand to pat his cheek. 

“The sun will be setting soon, make sure to get some sleep. You need to look extra dashing for your birthday tomorrow.”

“Of course, Mother.” 

She walks away from him, graceful as always, and suddenly he's all alone in the giant study. Keonhee looks at the long shadows being cast on the floor, the orange light from the windows behind Hyeonhee’s desk illuminating the dust in the air. He walks towards the windows, gazing down at the garden below.

“9 years…” he whispers to himself.

_______________

Seoho once asked him why the young prince of Monoceros was always following him, and at the time, Keonhee thought it was a rather silly question.

Ever since the younger could walk it seemed like Xion had been his little shadow. Whenever the royal children would gather together during grand events like coronations or extravagant balls, Xion could always be found exactly where Keonhee was.

The maids and caretakers used to coo at them, calling Prince Xion his loyal little puppy.

Keonhee hadn't understood what all the fuss was about. Xion was just fond of him, was all. Sure, he clung to Keonhee constantly and whined when the older had to leave him to do other things, but that just meant he liked Keonhee a lot. He would happily be Xion's friend forever if that's what the young prince wished.

That became difficult though when Xion began his attempts to scare away Keonhee's other friends. 

The younger would get absolutely cross when they played with other children. He refused to take part in any of the games, claiming it was no fun if it wasn't just him and Keonhee. Keonhee would just shrug it off and play to his heart's content, laughing and howling with the other children, but then Xion would cry from the lack of attention, so he'd go right back to the younger and comfort him. 

Keonhee distinctly recalls a memory of him soothing a sniffling Xion after a game of tag. Geonhak had walked up to them, concern painted all over his chubby face as he looked at the crying royal tucked into Keonhee's shoulder. He'd sat down next to Keonhee and dug into his pocket, pulling out some chocolate and offering some. When Xion didn't respond Keonhee asked him himself. This got them a nod from the younger, but when he realized it was Geonhak who was feeding him the chocolate and not Keonhee, he'd bit down on the other boy's finger. Hard. 

Xion got away with making Geonhak cry that day (the son of the Captain of the Royal Guards was important, but he was no prince). Keonhee showed no mercy like their caretakers had, demanding that Xion apologize. The _'I'm sorry'_ had been pretty half-assed in retrospect, but Geonhak was a forgiving soul. He would shake like a leaf however whenever the younger was around afterward, hiding behind the first thing he could find, which was usually Seoho. 

Things got even _more_ complicated when they grew up. Xion was getting older now; Keonhee shouldn't have to tolerate such behavior anymore. The young prince had reached 11 years of age. He didn't need to be babied.

It all came to a head during the summer of the year Keonhee turned 13. Seoho's older sister was getting married, and every royal from every corner of Aldafar was in attendance. 

The ceremony had ended and the festivities were in full swing. The not-quite teenagers of the royal families had decided to skip the after-party being thrown in the ballroom, instead playing a game of hide-and-seek in the kingdom of Vira's vast gardens. The only guide they had was the pale light of the full moon.

Keonhee remembers being pulled away by a giggly Youngjo as 12-year-old Hyeonhee began to count, her hands over her eyes as the rest of the royal children scattered to different parts of the garden. Xion was sat on one of the benches, abstaining from playing no matter how much Keonhee and Dongmyeong begged him.

Youngjo dragged him all the way to the rose bushes, grabbing a stick and moving the thorny flowers aside to create a safe opening. They were crouched in a small clearing at the center of the bushes, huddled closely together to avoid being seen.

Keonhee had been peeking through the leaves to see if anyone was near when Youngjo tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he whispered to the other prince.

"Have you ever kissed someone?" Youngjo whispered back, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Um, like on the lips?" Keonhee asked, his cheeks turning pink at the mere thought.

"Yes, on the lips."

"No," Keonhee admitted. 

"Do you want to kiss me?" 

The bold question made Keonhee's whole face burn a deep scarlet.

"What? Are you _mad_?" 

Youngjo just smiled. He leaned in and Keonhee froze.

Warm lips pressed against his own.

Keonhee's eyes were wide open, so he was able to see the exact moment when Xion crawled into the clearing with them, the younger freezing as well once he spotted them. 

Keonhee and Xion held eyes for a moment, and then all of a sudden Youngjo and him weren't kissing anymore. Xion had tackled the other prince into the surrounding bushes.

Keonhee shouted at them to stop at once as the two wrestled in the thorny shrubs, alerting the surrounding guards and the other royal children of their location.

Youngjo and Xion had to be physically pulled away from each other by the guards, but the damage was done. Both had scratches all over them, the thorns from the roses making their skin run red with blood and staining their clothes. 

Xion had a victorious smile on his face despite being in an equal state as the other prince. Keonhee ran to Youngjo, asking him if he was alright. Suddenly he was being pulled away, and when he realized it was Xion, a scowl on the younger's scratched face, he immediately stepped away from the younger prince. 

"Let's go Keonhee," Xion had demanded, reaching for Keonhee's hand again.

"No," Keonhee said back, stepping out of reach and shaking his head. He wouldn't put up with this anymore.

Xion's hands balled into fists at his side.

"Keonhee, I _said_ let's _go--_ "

Keonhee slapped the younger straight across the face.

A silence fell over the garden. Keonhee could see that the two guards were still there, hovering as they were unsure of what to do. They were royal children, after all.

Xion raised a hand to his cheek, a look of shock on his face as he stared at Keonhee. Then angry tears began to gather in his eyes and the younger turned around and ran, pushing through the circle of children that had gathered around them. Dongmyeong chased after him, calling out his name.

Keonhee stood rooted where he was, staring after the fleeing prince. The sting in his palm felt unbearable.

Keonhee left Vira with his family the following day. Xion hadn't come to say goodbye. 

Weeks passed. Keonhee wanted to speak to the younger, wanted to patch things up and apologize. He missed him dearly. He waited impatiently for the next royal event, needing an excuse to see him. 

And then his father had died, and Keonhee no longer had the time for anything anymore, least of all Xion. Corvus needed its future king to be properly prepared.

**Author's Note:**

> me: *looks up a/b/o royalty au in Oneus tag*  
> ao3: 0 works  
> me: well shit
> 
> ive already got the 2nd chapter typed out ^3^ Go stream Leftover cuz it slaps
> 
> thx for reading! Comments are appreciated ;^) 🌏❤🌙


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